Maine Job Safety: Unemployment Rates Down, Work Accident Risks Up

The number of work accidents is down. Is this because work places are safer or because we had less people on the job during the release of the most recent stats?sAccording to CNN Money and the most recent release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were close to 5,000 people who were killed at work in 2011. That’s down slightly from 2011. In 2010, there were about 4,700 people who died because of a work accident.
These numbers are more than 20 percent lower than the number of workplace fatalities recorded in 1994. As a matter of fact, almost every year has seen a decrease. Still, more than 12 employees a day are killed on the job.

Some say that the most recent decline is a result of employers stepping up their work safety game. Others say that it’s because there weren’t as many Americans working during the economic downturn. Either way, the risks for work accidents is expected to climb as the economy continues to improve and more people head back to work!

Our Portland workers’ compensation lawyers understand that employers are required by law to make sure that each workplace is safe for employees. It’s not only a moral obligation, but it’s a federal one, too!sOfficials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) continue to enact rules and regulations to make sure that employers are doing their part when it comes to employee safety.

One of the most common causes of on-the-job injuries is traffic accidents. According to the most recent statistics, there were close to 800 truckers who were killed on the job last year. The U. . Department of Transportation is working to combat these accident risks, too!sThey’ve enacted a number of rules and regulations, including Hours of Service regulations, to help to keep truckers safe. The most recent HOS regulations aim to ensure that drivers are spending no more than 8 consecutive hours behind the wheel without a 30 minute rest break. They’re also not allowed to drive more than 70 hours a week anymore.

Even though there aren’t very many fishermen in the country, in comparison to more popular job positions, these workers have the highest fatality rate at work. Last year, there were 40 fishermen killed on the job. This gives them a death rate of 121 per 100,000 workers, which is a rate that is five times higher than the rate for truckers.

As more people go back to work, risks for fatal on-the-job accidents will increase. According to the most recent release from the U. . Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the unemployment rate for August has dropped from last year. There are more workers now in 325 of the 372 metropolitan areas. Only five areas reported an unemployment rate of at least 15 percent. There were 20 areas that reported an unemployment rate of less than 5 percent!

If you or someone you love has been injured contact the injury attorneys at Peter Thompson & Associates for a free appointment to discuss your rights. Call 1-800-804-2004.